Ferrari LaFerrari vs McLaren P1 vs Porsche 918 Spyder

Top Gear sizes up three of the most anticipated hypercars of 2013...

Price is hardly a factor because they're so stratospherically high that the buyers won't notice the difference. The McLaren, for the record is £866,000. The Porsche €768,000 or about £664,000. Ferrari isn't saying yet but it won't be vastly different. Of more significance is the collectability, and hence likely depreciation. Ferrari's record is sky-high there because its limited editions sell out fastest. Porsche is less strong, McLaren a bit unknown (F1's sell high now, but it didn't sell out when new). Also, McLaren buyers might be resistant to the fact their car shares its base engine, transmission and tub with the 12C.

But none of this numerical Top Trumpery can tell us the true character of these three off-the-scale cars. We're carpet-bombed by unanswered questions. Can anyone really use 900bhp through just the rear wheels? Maybe the Porsche's electric AWD will make it more driveable? Will that driveability gain offset the Porsche's extra weight? Are the Porsche and Ferrari aspirated engines more of a draw than the McLaren's turbo?

And what floats your boat? If you're an F1 fan, are you a McLaren or a Ferrari fan? Are you an F1 fan at all, or an endurance nut? At the bottom of it all, are you a Porsche or a Ferrari or a McLaren person?

We remain impeccably impartial. First one of these three manufacturers to give us a drive wins our hearts.